Attacks on German politicians are fueling fears about democracy

A growing number of physical attacks on German politicians in recent weeks has sparked condemnation and fears among political leaders about the future of democracy in Germany and Europe.

The latest attacks this week included Berlin senator and former mayor Franziska Giffey, who was attacked at an event in a Berlin library on Tuesday. She was reportedly hit from behind by a man with a bag containing something “hard and heavy.” Her injuries were treated and the man was taken into custody.

On the same day, a 47-year-old Green Party politician was attacked by two people while hanging up election posters in Dresden.

The state-funded German media company Deutsche Welle captured the attack on video. In it, the city council candidate is seen being verbally attacked and spat at by a woman, while the attacker’s male companion is seen pushing members of the candidate’s team.

In addition to insults, the attackers reportedly shouted support for the far-right German party Alternative for Germany.

Two right-wing politicians were also attacked this week. Police in the southwestern city of Stuttgart say two state parliament members from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party were verbally and physically abused late Wednesday while operating an information stand about their party. According to police, the injuries were not serious.

The worst of the recent attacks occurred a week ago in Dresden, where MEP Matthias Ecke and Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s SPD MP was brutally beaten by four attackers while putting up campaign posters. Party officials say his injuries require surgery.

Four suspects in the attack on Ecke – 17 and 18 years old – have now been arrested.

The attacks were praised by German lawmakers across the political spectrum. In a video message on Thursday, Scholz described them as “attacks on our democracy” that “affect us all, which is why we do not stand idly by when officials, campaigners or volunteers are brutally attacked.”

He suggested that one of the best things people can do to fight back is to vote in next month’s European Parliament elections.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, herself a former German politician, also spoke out against the violence on Thursday during comments at the German CDU party conference in Berlin.

“When we talk about threats to our democracy, we don’t just talk about positions and content. It’s also about people,” she said. “We must protect everyone who works for our democratic society and our country, regardless of which party they belong to.”

In an interview with television channel Reuters on Friday, German political scientist Jasmin Riedl from the University of the Bundeswehr said the attacks were a worrying sign for liberal democracy.

“Verbal violence is intended to delegitimize people. And that alone is problematic for political competition. But when people are attacked, they withdraw from the political arena,” she said. “It ruins the competition because it’s unfair for them. Certain groups are simply removed individually.”

Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.